Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1887-09-10
KENTUCKY PIONEERS.
Thrilling Story OF shs Capture Rescue
Three Girls.

ne uanBeFS WHICH boone ana nj
companions encountered in the field
came to the very doors of his cabin
and constantly menaced their fami
lies. Indians lurked singly or in par
ties to seize prisoners or take scalI
whenever an incautious white shoulc
give the opportunity. Frequent com
bats land each combat ended, q.
q rule, in the death of one or both o
those engaged) had habituated the
men to danger. 1t was later thai
they felt the danger OF their wives anG
children.
Late on Sunday afternoon in July
1776, three young girls ventured iron,
the enclosure of Boonesborough tc
amuse themselves with canoe upon
the river that flowed by the fort. In.
sensibly they drifted with the lazy
current, and before they were aware
OF their danger were seized by five
warriors. Their resistance was use
less, though they yielded the peddles
with desperation. Their canoe was
drawn ashore and they were hurried
off in rapid retreat toward the Shaw.
nee towns in Ohio. Their screams
were heard at the fort, and the caust
we'll guessed. Two of the girls were
Betsey and Frances, daughters O.
Colonel Richard Galloway; the other
was Jemima, daughter oil Boone
The fathers were absent, but soon re
turned to hear the evil news and ar
range the pursuit. Galloway assembled
a mounted party, and was away
through the woods to head off the In
dams, if possible before they might
reach and cross the Ohio, or before the
fatigue of their rapid march should sc
overcome the poor girls as to cause
the.rcaptors to tomahawk them, anc
so dlsencumber their flight. Boone
satrted directly on the trail through The
thickets and canebrakes. His rule
was never to ride if he could possibly
walk. All his journeys and hunts, es
capes and persuits were on foot. His
little party numbered eight, and the
anxiety OF fathers heart quickeneo
its leader, and found a ready response
in the breasts of three young men,
the lovers of the girls.
Betsey Galloway, the eldest of the
girls, marked the trail as the Indians
hurried them along, by breaking twigs
and bending bushes, and when threat.
ened with tomahawk if she persisted
tore small pits from her dress anG
dropped them to guide the pursuers
Where the ground was soft enough
to receive an impression, they would
press a footprint. The flight was il
the best Indian method; the Indians
marched some yards apart through
the bushes and cane, compelling Their
captives to do the same. When E
creek was crossed they waded in its
water to distant point, where the
march would be resumed. By all the
caution and skill of their training the
Indians endeavored to obscure their
trail and perplex the pursuers.
The nightfall OF the first day stopped
the pursuit of Boone before he had
gone far; but he had fixed the direc
ton the Indians were taking, and al
early dawn was following them. The
chase was continued with all the speed
hat could be made for thirty miles. |
Again darkness compelled a halt, and
again at crack of day on Tuesday the |
pursuit was renewed. 1t was not long |
before a light film OF smoke that arose
n the distance showed where the In |
iians were cooking q breakfast of Buf |
alo meat. The pursuers cautiously |
fearing lest the Indians
night slay their captives and escape. |
Iolonel John Floyd, who was one OF
he party (himself afterward killed by |
ndians), thus described the attack
md the rescue, i'll letter written the
Iext Sunday to the lieutenant of Fin.
astle, Colonel William Preston:
"Our study had been how to get the
prisoners without giving the Indians
ime to murder them after they dis.
overed us. Four of us fired, and all
t US rushed on them; by which they
.ere prevented from carrying any
hing away except one shotgun with
ut any ammunition. Colonel Boone
nd myself had each pretty fair shot
s they began to move off. / am well
/ shot one through the
ody. The one he shot dropped his
ln; mine had none. The place was
overed with thick cane, and, being so
luch elated on recovering the three
oor little heart broken girls, we were
reverted from making any further
earch. We sent the Indians off al
lost naked, some without their moe
asins and none of them with so much
$ knife or tomahawk. After tine
rls came to themselves sufficiently
D speak they told US there were five
Indians, four Shawanese and one
herokee; they could speak good Eng.
sh and said they should go to the
hawanese towing. The war clubs We
0t was like those have seen of that
alton, and several words OF their
Lnguage, which the girls stained, were
nown to be Shawanese."
The return with the rescued girls
as the occasion for great rejoicing
o crown their satisfaction, theyoune
'vers had proved their prowess, and
nder the eye of the greatest of all
oodsmen had shown their skill and
ourage. They had fairly won the
rls they loved. Two weeks later
,neral summons went throughout the
tile settlements to attend the first
eddlng ever solemnized on Kentucky
oil. Samuel Henderson and Betsey
were married in the presence
an approving company that cele.
rated the event with dancing and
asting. The formal license from the
1untry court was not waited for, as
ne court house of Fincastle, of which
ounty Kentucky was part, was dis
ant more than 600 miles. The cere.
lony consisted of the contract with
illnesses and religious vows admins.
cred by Boone's brother, who was an
ccasional preacher of the persuasion
opi1larIy known aa Har6cboII po,,